Reycled Percussion Toy Drive moved up to avoid snow storm

Recycled Percussion spent the holiday season drumming up donations on a cross-country tour to buy Christmas presents for children who would otherwise go without.

They planned to distribute the toys on Christmas morning, but a snow storm that could create dangerous driving conditions forced them to do it on Christmas Eve instead.

A line wrapped around the Manchester Fire Department’s station 8 with folks eager to get their presents.

“The weather prevented us from doing this Christmas day, but the more I thought about it, it was actually even more extra special because now these kids get to wake up on Christmas morning with gifts and spend time with their family,” band frontman Justin Spencer said. “So it was kind of a blessing in disguise.”

Recycled Percussion played shows in all 50 states in 12 days, raising $70,000.

They used that money to purchase a small mountain of toys to be given away to families in need.

“It means a whole lot because at first I didn’t even think we were going to have much of a Christmas,” Hudson resident Michael Baptista said.

These happy moments of holiday giving played out not just in the Queen City but also in Berlin, Concord, Keene and Rochester.

Organizers said more than 4,000 kids signed up and it’s likely even more showed up at the locations.

“There’s something so special about just being able to capture the magic of Christmas for anybody,” said Quinn Spencer, one of the event organizers and Justin Spencer’s spouse. “Some of these people have fallen on hard times and others have fallen on much harder times.”

“This is the fifth year of the foundation being able to do this and it truly leaves a lasting imprint on you,” said Wendy Osborn, also an event organizer. “I have a hard time getting through a speech to all the volunteers, just to see the sense of community coming together to be able to donate to…